358 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



NOVKMBER 25, 1905. 



APPLYING PARIS GREEN TO COTTON. 



The Agricultural Superintendent at St. Kitt's- 

 Nevis writes to the Imperial Commissioner of 

 Agriculture as follows in reference to the application 

 of Paris green to cotton : — 



On one or two estates some little damage lias been done 

 owing to the planters not following the advice of the 

 Department in mixing the Paris green and lime in the 

 proportions of 1 lb. to 6 fc. of lime, but using instead 1 lb. to 

 15, and 20 lb. of lime, which did not kill the worm. They 

 all now see their mistake, and will, I am sure, use the right 

 mixture in the future. 



PICKING COTTON FULLY RIPE. 



In a recent letter received by the Imperial Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture, Mr. E. Lomas Oliver (who 

 takes the keenest interest in the success of West 

 Indian cotton) writes, under date of October 24, as 

 follows : — 



Further to my letter of October 22, will you allow me, 

 now that the picking season is coming on, to suggest that 

 you impress once more the vital necessity of picking the 

 cotton fully ripe. Last season showed a very great imjirove- 

 nient in this respect, but there is still something left to be 

 desired. I hope all overseers will specially watch their 

 pickers in this respect. If they do, the greater brilliancy of 

 West Indian cotton will ensure a preference being given to 

 West Indian over South Carolina cotton. 



COTTON AT CARRIACOU. 



The following letter from the Commissioner of 

 Carriacou to the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, 

 dated October 27, contains infornuition as to the acreage 

 in cotton in Carriacou : — 



Owing to the late planting season this year I have not 

 been able before to give you the information desired in your 

 letter of Jime 19 last, with respect to the acreage of 

 Sea Island and Marie Galante cotton planted at Carriacou 

 for the crop of 1906. As all cotton fields are now well 

 established, I can, with tolerable certaint}', estimate the 

 acreage of Sea Island cotton at 200 acres (of which about 

 60 acres belong to peasant landholders) and !Marie Galante 

 at 3,000 acres. The latter is entirely grown on the Metayer 

 system. 



The Sea Island cotton fields are all in vigorous growth 

 and boiling freely ; the yield should therefore be cpiite up to 

 the average of other cotton-grov/ing islands in the West 

 Indies. It is, however, difficult to estimate the probable 

 yield from the JIarie Galante field.s, as, except in the case 

 of the government allottees, most of the trees are ten and 

 twelve years old, from which a very small return of inferior, 

 short-staple cotton is usually obtained. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON PROSPECTS. 



The following is a copy of a letter from Messrs. 

 Wolstenholme & Holland, of Liverpool, England, to the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture for the West 

 Indies, dated October 19, l'J05, in reference to the 

 state of the Sea Island cotton market : — 



A fair business has been done during the past month 

 in Sea Island descriptions, and prices are well maintained. 



The advices from America respecting the Sea Island 

 crop state that in Florida prospects are unfavourable, owing 

 to bad weather, and while reports are better from Georgia, 

 it is likely that less cotton will be made. In Carolina it is 

 not expected there will be much change from last year. 

 Crop estimates range from 85,000 to 90,000 bales. 



Georgias have been in good demand, and all offerings 

 have been readily taken, about 10] at lOi. Floridas have 

 only been dealt in to a limited extent, owing to the small 

 receipts. Carolinas are held for full prices. 



We incline to think that present prices will be main- 

 tained for some time, as factors are not disposed to accept 

 any material decline. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON SEED. 



The following is extracted from an aiticle in the 

 Cotton Trade Journal of Savannah, Georgia, for 

 May 13, 190.5, relative to the sale of seed in the Sea 

 Islands of South Carolina: — 



A great deal has already been said concerning the 

 movement by the Sea Island planters to stop the sale of seed 

 to competitive growers. It is now authoritatively announced 

 that a close corporation of all the planters on the islands has 

 been formed to carry out the object in view. 



Intelligent oiiinion in the Sea Island trade is entirely in 

 sympathy with the island planters; they are considered 

 justified in seeking to protect themselves. On many of the 

 West India Islands it is found that Sea Island cotton of 

 a quality and staple nearly, if not quite, up to 'Carolinas' 

 can be grown, provided they can obtain ' Carolina ' or 

 ' I.slands' seed. 



It may, however, be mentioned that the West 

 Indies are now practically independent of South 

 Corolina in the matter of Sea Island cotton seed, as the 

 selected seed produced in these colonies is as good a.*:, 

 if not better than, that raised in the Sea Islands 

 themselves. 



